Ciguatera, an Emerging Human Poisoning in Europe

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is the most common nonbacterial food intoxication in the world caused by ingestion of fish with bioaccumulated ciguatoxins (CTXs) [1]. The origin of CTXs is due to a biotransformation of other protoxins, gambiertoxins, which are produced by a microalga, a benthic dinoflagellate of the genus Gambierdiscus. These toxins are bioaccumulated in the food web when toxic dinoflagellates attached to surfaces, for example macroalgae, are consumed by herbivorous fish, which are then preyed on by carnivorous fish [1,2]. The toxins undergo several oxidation steps during this passage through fish digestive systems, increasing their potency [3]. These are in turn consumed by humans, which are at the end of the transmission chain and experience the full effects of biomagnifications [4].